Conversion of Paul story

Before anyone knew him as Paul, the famous follower of Jesus, he went by Saul. Born in Tarsus—a city people talked about—Saul stood out for his sharp mind and solid education. He trained with Gamaliel, one of the most respected Jewish teachers around. Saul was a hardcore Pharisee, all in on Jewish law. Honestly, he thought he was doing the right thing by guarding these traditions.

But Saul really couldn’t stand Christians. To him, following Jesus was a huge mistake, even dangerous. He didn’t just disagree—he saw these new believers as a threat. He actually stood by and approved when Stephen, the first Christian martyr, was killed. After that, Saul went all in. He barged into homes, dragged people off, and threw them in jail just for believing in Jesus. He was angry, and he refused to let Christianity spread.

Then, everything flipped. Saul was on the road to Damascus, paperwork in hand, ready to arrest more Christians. Out of nowhere, this blinding light blasted down from the sky. It knocked him off his feet. And then he heard a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Shaken, Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?”

The answer came: “I am Jesus, the one you’re persecuting.”

That stopped Saul in his tracks. When he got up, he couldn’t see a thing—he was blind. His friends had to lead him into Damascus, where he spent the next three days in the dark, not eating, just praying. Then God sent a disciple named Ananias. Ananias prayed for Saul, and suddenly Saul could see again. He got baptized on the spot.

From then on, Saul went by Paul. The guy who once hunted down Christians started telling everyone about Jesus—with real passion and guts. Paul’s story shows you’re never too far gone, and one encounter with Jesus can flip your whole life upside down.